The right of priority is claimed based on Federal Republic of Germany Application 101 53 877.4, filed Nov. 2, 2001, the entire content of which, including the specification, drawings, claims and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, particularly of cross-current design, through which at least two separate media can flow. The invention particularly relates to a plate-type heat exchanger.
Heat exchangers of the generic type are known from, for example, DE 199 09 881 A1. This known heat exchanger has plates which are stacked on one another and which are spaced apart from one another in some areas and are in contact with one another in other areas. By this means, a flow path for a medium, for example, a fluid, is formed between respectively adjacent plates in a heat exchange region. So that the plates can be arranged spaced apart from one another, bosses and/or beads are formed on them.
Adjacent to the heat exchange regions, the plates further comprise inlet duct apertures and outlet duct apertures. The heat exchanger is formed by a layered sandwich-like arrangement of the plates. The plates are in this case rotated 90xc2x0 relative to one anotherxe2x80x94with respect to a center axis of the platesxe2x80x94so that flow ducts which are sealed off from one another are formed. To achieve sealing of the flow ducts, the plates are brazed at the bosses and/or beads bearing on one another. A disadvantage of this is that it entails a considerable manufacturing outlay. In addition, even slight height tolerances of the beads and/or bosses lead to a gap formation, and this can be compensated, by brazing, only with considerable extra outlay or, in extreme cases, cannot be compensated at all.
EP 0 623 798 B1 discloses a plate heat exchanger in which trough-shaped heat exchanger plates are stacked one inside the other. Turbulence inserts can be arranged between the heat exchanger plates to form flow ducts. The heat exchanger plates can be brazed to one another in their circumferential edge areas. Additional sealing washers are provided to form the flow paths sealed off from one another. In addition to increased consumption of material, this also results in a considerable outlay in manufacturing terms.
One object of the invention is to make available a heat exchanger of the generic type which is distinguished by a simple design and, consequently, lends itself to straightforward production.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there has been provided a heat exchanger for thermal exchange between at least two separate media comprising a plurality of plates stacked on one another, with first areas which are spaced apart from one another and second areas which are in contact with one another to form respective first and second flow paths between respectively adjacent plates in a generally planar heat exchange region. Each of the plates comprises a plurality of outer regions each containing an aperture adjacent to the heat exchange region, and the plates are spaced apart from one another by means of shaped-out portions of the plates. Outer regions, which succeed one another about the circumference of the plates and which contain the apertures, are alternately shaped-out in opposite directions from the plane of the heat exchange region.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiments that follows, when considered together with the accompanying figures of drawing.